This invention generally concerns compaction machinery such as a roller or wheel for mounting upon a driven compactor vehicle or tractor, the roller having both destructive and tractive characteristics adapted to break up, crush, grind and compact throwaway materials commonly delivered to a sanitary land fill operations. More particularly this invention is characterized by cleat assemblies including removable wear caps configured for a long service life.
Compaction rollers and wheels used on landfill operations and particularly sanitary landfill operations are equipped generally with cleats or feet of the type for grinding and crushing materials to reduce the size and bulk of the material. As shown in the assignee""s prior patents, U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,106 and 4,919,566, an earth and sanitary fill compaction roller has been shown employing two different types of feet having a replaceable wear cap as a part of the cleat assemblies. The wear caps are welded to a base portion of the assembly, which in turn is welded to the roller as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,106. The wear caps in U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,566 are readily removable from the base portion of the assembly using common tools available at the job site. It has been observed that due in large degree to manufacturing tolerances that the use of removable wear caps coupled to a fixed base, in severe service exposes the assembly to twisting forces which in time materially reduce the service life of the wear cap and cleat assembly. In the ""566 patent, a cleat assembly was disclosed including means for restraining twisting of the wear cap relative to the base, which function entirely satisfactory with compaction equipment then operating in the 70,000 lbs. gross weight class. Improvements in the cleat assembly are desired for use on compaction rollers mounted on compaction machines now furnished in the 100,000 to 120,000 lbs gross vehicular weight class.
More particularly, the compaction vehicles of the higher operating weights now coming into service apply substantially more torque to the compaction rollers via their larger engines and transmissions than was the case with compactors that were 30,000 to 50,000 lbs. lighter in gross vehicle weight. Moreover, landfill operators expect very long service life of the compaction rollers and cleat assemblies, some required assurances that these components will render a service life on the order of 20,000 hours. Thus, it is highly desirable to accommodate in the cleat assemblies on the compaction rollers the higher torque than tractive forces applied by the extra heavy duty compaction machinery now entering into service.
In general, an improved compaction roller carries cleat assemblies comprising a rigid mounting pad assembly to be welded to a rigid cylindrical body and a bracket integral to the base portion protruding generally outwardly therefrom. At least one coupling opening extends transversely through the bracket. A detachable wear cap unit is releaseably coupled to the base, the cap having a generally hollow body, including radially outwardly converging outer sidewalls and having broad tractive faces with enlarged end portions. At least one pair of aligned openings are formed through the sidewalls and align able with the coupling openings for receiving coupling means there through. Coupling means are disposed acting between the bracket and the wear cap unit. The cleat assembly being characterized by means restraining twisting of the wear cap unit with respect to said base portion, and including a plurality of apertures and complementary projections arranged on said base portion and said wear cap unit and positioned outwardly on said base portion on said bracket. The wear cap including transverse end walls extending between the end portions of said side walls and merging therewith into enlarged corner portions protruding outwardly from the general plane of the sidewalls thereby defining a broad tractive working face.
In general it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved fill and compaction roller having readily replaceable cleat assemblies compatible with extra heavy duty compaction equipment utilizing high horsepower and torque forces.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved cleat assembly in which the wear cap can be readily replaced so as to avoid the wearing W away the mounting base carrying such wear cap.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cleat assembly of the type described having broad tractive working faces.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved cleat assembly for fill and compaction roller characterized by means restraining twisting between the wear cap and base.
It is yet an additional object of the invention to provide a cleat assembly for a fill and compaction roller including a readily removable cap units or shoes serving to provide to the roller traction and a demolition functions.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a cleat assembly having a readily removable cap unit serving to engage upon a base in a manner inhibiting twisting of the cap unit with respect to the base.
The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become more readily evident from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the drawings.